new in: gentlewhispering pillow + my asmr story

ASMR changed my life. I used to have a lot of difficulty falling asleep. One day, several years ago, I decided to search for rain sounds on YouTube. That helped somewhat. Though it made me feel felt relaxed and sleepy, it was still difficult for me to nod of completely. Then....I noticed a recommended video with ASMR in the title. Click. At first, I was a startled by how close the YouTuber was to the camera. It certainly wasn't something I was used to! Before long though, I had fallen in love with ASMR. Not sure what I'm talking about? There is plenty of information online but essentially, ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. It “describes the experience of tingling sensations in the crown of the head, in response to a range of audio-visual triggers such as whispering, tapping, and hand movements." Basically, ASMR can be used to create tingles, for relaxation, for sleep, or to ease symptoms related to depression and anxiety.

So, what is the point of this post? What inspired me to write about ASMR after all these years of watching video after video after video? My favourite ASMR creator, Maria from GentleWhispering, released merchandise recently. (In case you don't know, Maria is the most popular ASMR creator on YouTube. She has 1.5 million subscribes and her videos have been watched more than 500 million times.) Her merchandise included long-sleeved shirts, short sleeved shirts, and even a pillow. The pillow immediately caught my eye. Not only did I love the beautiful and calming design but I knew it would be the perfect addition to my home office. The moment I saw it, I sent the store link to my husband. I never dreamed he would actually buy it for me, but he did. Talk about a surprise!

The picture above is the image printed on the pillow. It is so cute and calming! This was originally intended to be a Christmas gift from my husband, but thanks to the postal strike where I live, it wound up being a "just because" gift. When he gave it to me, I was shocked. Stunned. Giddy. I absolutely love the pillow. The quality is fabulous, it is ultra comfortable, and the design is perfection. My GentleWhispering pillow is now prominently displayed in my office as a reminder to relax. I am so thankful that my husband did something so incredibly thoughtful for me. Not only was this a lovely gift to receive but it gave me the perfect excuse to talk about ASMR on the creation of beauty is art. 

Something else that was really wonderful? I posted a picture of the pillow and mentioned my lovely husband on Instagram (if you haven't followed me yet, you can do so here). Maria actually commented on the photo. I was so surprised! It was incredible to hear from someone who has helped me so much over the years.

ASMR is a big part of my life. Over the years, it has helped me sleep better, relax, and ease my anxiety. Maria has been an important part of my personal journey...and I couldn't be more thrilled with this ASMR-related item.

Do you watch ASMR videos?